Open AccessUltrafast Dynamics of Charge Transfer and Photochemical Reactions in Solar Energy Conversion
Author(s) -
Xu JingYin,
Tong Xin,
Yu Peng,
Wenya Gideon Evans,
McGrath Thomas,
Fong Matthew James,
Wu Jiang,
Wang Zhiming M.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
advanced science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.388
H-Index - 100
ISSN - 2198-3844
DOI - 10.1002/advs.201800221
Subject(s) - ultrafast laser spectroscopy , exciton , chemical physics , solar energy , photochemistry , energy transformation , materials science , ultrashort pulse , electron transfer , spectroscopy , singlet fission , multiple exciton generation , solar cell , excited state , optoelectronics , singlet state , chemistry , atomic physics , physics , optics , quantum mechanics , ecology , laser , biology , thermodynamics
For decades, ultrafast time‐resolved spectroscopy has found its way into an increasing number of applications. It has become a vital technique to investigate energy conversion processes and charge transfer dynamics in optoelectronic systems such as solar cells and solar‐driven photocatalytic applications. The understanding of charge transfer and photochemical reactions can help optimize and improve the performance of relevant devices with solar energy conversion processes. Here, the fundamental principles of photochemical and photophysical processes in photoinduced reactions, in which the fundamental charge carrier dynamic processes include interfacial electron transfer, singlet excitons, triplet excitons, excitons fission, and recombination, are reviewed. Transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy techniques provide a good understanding of the energy/electron transfer processes. These processes, including excited state generation and interfacial energy/electron transfer, are dominate constituents of solar energy conversion applications, for example, dye‐sensitized solar cells and photocatalysis. An outlook for intrinsic electron/energy transfer dynamics via TA spectroscopic characterization is provided, establishing a foundation for the rational design of solar energy conversion devices.